St. John's Church Belgershain

Baroque church with epitaphs of the von Ponickau family, Schmeißer organ from 1905

Alfred Schmeisser (1878-1957), a member of the third generation of the company's founder, Wilhelm Schmeisser (1817-1882), built the organ in 1905 with pneumatic key and stop action (II/18). Expanded to include a 1' flute on the second manual, this organ documents an early example of the organ movement. After the laying of the foundation stone for the new St. John's Church in 1682, the church was consecrated in 1686, along with the first organ by Christoph Donat of Leipzig. In 1770, the organ was rebuilt by Johann Gottlieb Mauer of Altenburg. The generously designed second west gallery reflects the church's commitment to sophisticated church music.

Text: Klaus Gernhardt